The transfer portal opens in full earnest tomorrow, and the Tar Heels are expected to be busy, both with players entering the portal and with them looking to add talent out of it. When Carolina’s season ended on Friday, Hubert Davi wasn’t ready to talk about how active he, and his staff, along with new GM Jim Tanner are going to be on Monday, but with end-of-season meetings taking place today in Chapel Hill, Carolina is set up to be active on the market, as the transfer portal entries begin tomorrow. Usually, when a season comes to an end, you have a good feel for players who are either staying or leaving, but this year, that all feels up in the air for Carolina’s roster, which is transitioning away from the last connection to Roy Williams, as RJ Davis’s career is officially over. There are a number of guys, that could return with a larger role on the table for 2025-26, or they could explore different opportunities elsewhere, that guarantee more minutes and more NIL compensation. With that on the table, let's take a look at every possible player that has a decision to make, as the off-season is officially underway in Chapel Hill.
Elliot Cadeau: The sophomore guard experienced an up-and-down campaign, that featured issues with protecting the basketball, and foul trouble. Cadeau averaged over 9 points per game, with over 6 assists, but shot just 45% from the field, and 34% from behind the arc. In the preseason, Hubert Davis was adamant that Cadeau was going to be so improved, that we wouldn’t even recognize the player he was from his freshman season, but that player failed to ever make it to the court. Cadeau returned to UNC, after getting benched in the loss to Alabama in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, vowing to be a player who couldn’t be taken off the floor in those types of moments again. And while Cadeau was on the floor as the season came to an end, he still didn’t show the type of growth you typically see from a point guard in his second season at North Carolina.
Prediction: A lot of people expect Cadeau to transfer out of the program, as the situation has gotten toxic with him, and a fan base that has grown frustrated with his turnovers. With RJ Davis no longer going to be on the roster, and the two incoming guards not quite as dynamic as Cadeau was when he reclassified and joined the program a year early, there is a path for Cadeau to return for his junior season. There is no doubt that he has to improve his decision-making, as well as his shot, but he was a big reason why Carolina finished the regular strong enough to make the NCAA Tournament. If Carolina can get bigger wings to surround Cadeau, like they did in his freshman season, it’ll make the game easier for him. You combine that, with the pick-and-roll game he developed with Ven-Allen Lubin, and there’s enough there to want Cadeau back for his junior season, and I suspect he’ll return for 2025-26.
Seth Trimble: A lot was made during the season, that Carolina lacked a vocal leader, but as the season grew long, Trimble became the leader the team desperately needed. After the loss to Ole Miss, Trimble was visibly emotional, about the way the season came to a close, and took it very personally. His role increased after Cormac Ryan and Harrison Ingram departed from last season’s team, and Trimble answered the call, averaging over 11 points per game, and was the second leading rebounder, at over 5. Trimble was a starter for the majority of the non-conference season, before missing a handful of games at the beginning of ACC play, which relegated Trimble back to the bench, as he worked his way back. He was coming off the bench, during the 9-2 stretch, that got Carolina got into the NCAA Tournament while playing starter-like minutes, and leading comeback attempts against both Duke and Ole Miss, that ultimately fell short.
Prediction: Trimble voiced his desire to return to UNC for his senior season, but cited that NIL would play a role in that decision. He needs to work on his offensive game, as he shot below 30% from behind the arc. Trimble did enter the portal last season, before ultimately returning, claiming that his heart and soul belonged in Chapel Hill. During the season, Trimble became not only a leader, but a fan favorite, for not only the way he played on the court, but the way he carried himself, and represented himself, and UNC off of it. Expect that to continue into next season.
Ven-Allen Lubin: When Carolina was struggling, the reason given was the lack of a big man in the frontcourt, after the coaching staff didn’t adequately replace Armando Bacot. They brought in Ven-Allen Lubin from Vanderbilt, and Ty Claude from Georgia Tech, but were banking on Jalon Washington taking a step forward, entering his junior season. It took some time, but Lubin rounded into form, and looked like the big man they had hoped to get all season long, finishing the season averaging almost 9 points per game, and was the leading rebounder, with 5.5 boards per game. His production hit a season high in Charlotte during the ACC Tournament, where he recorded three straight double-doubles, and made game-clinching plays in a win over Wake Forest, that helped get UNC into the NCAA Tournament. His foul trouble played a big role in the loss to Ole Miss in the NCAA Tournament, but that just shows you how far he came in the second half of the season, as Carolina was clearly a worse team without on the floor, as opposed to having him on it.
Prediction: Carolina still needs to go and recruit a legitimate big man, with more size and length, but expect Lubin back in Chapel Hill for the 2025-26 season. Just like Trimble, Lubin expressed his desire to be back with the program next season but also made it known that NIL will play a role in his decision.
Ian Jackson: Jackson was projected to be a one-and-done prospect, and while that’s still up in the air, it’s not as certain as you would’ve thought back in October. Jackson was the second leading scorer for Carolina this season, averaging nearly 12 points per game, and shot 40% from behind the arc. He emerged as UNC’s top-scoring option early in ACC play, before RJ Davis found his groove in the second half of conference play. In the season-ending loss, Jackson only played 10 minutes and spent a lot of time on the bench in the second half. While fans may have been frustrated with that decision, Carolina made its comeback without him on the floor, so Hubert Davis made the right decision to not play him. He has to mature as a defender and understand when to force the issue in transition, and when to reset the offense, but there’s no doubt that Hubert Davis would prefer to have his talent on the roster next season.
Prediction: At this point, there’s as good a chance that Jackson transfers, as he does either return or turn pro. Maybe I’m just being optimistic, but I think he returns for one more season. His talent and ability are desired, and with no RJ Davis to share the backcourt with, he can be the #1 scoring option his talent suggests he could be.
Drake Powell: Just like Jackson, many believed that Powell would spend just one season in Chapel Hill, before leaving for the NBA, and while his draft stock is higher than Powell’s, it’s not certain that he’ll leave for the NBA. Powell was reinserted into the starting lineup late in the season, and his presence, alongside Jae’Lyn Withers, changed Carolina’s ability to defend, and rebound, and sparked a 9-2 close, to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament. In his 37 games, Powell averaged over 7 points per game, to go with 3 rebounds and one assist. There is room to grow offensively, but you can see the talent on the defensive end, that makes him valuable to Hubert Davis, and this staff moving forward.
Prediction: Powell grew up just outside of Chapel Hill, and dreamed of being a Tar Heel all his life. It’s hard to envision him playing for another college program, so therefore, unless Powell were to go pro, expect Powell back in Carolina Blue for a second season.
Jalen Washington: With the way that Carolina recruited every big man in the portal, we should’ve known that they didn’t trust Jalon Washington to be the starting big man he was primed to be after the graduation of Armando Bacot. Washington started his handful of games, before settling into a role off the bench. Washington averaged 5.7 points and 4.2 rebounds and shot 59% from the field, but this team needed more, and you should expect more from a player who’s entering his third season in the program.
Prediction: Washington is the first player I expect to transfer out of the program this off-season and go play maybe at another power conference school, but more than likely, going down to the mid-major level. UNC stayed committed to Washington after he suffered a major knee injury in high school, and it’s fair to say that both parties benefited from him being in the program, but that it’s in the best interest to go separate ways.
Cade Tyson: Cade Tyson was the prize of UNC’s transfer portal haul last off-season, bringing in the second-best three-point shooter in the country, out of Belmont, but that player never made his way to Chapel Hill. Tyson never adapted to the level of play that you see while playing at North Carolina, averaging just 2.6 points per game, and shooting just 29% from behind the arc.
Prediction: Expect Tyson to be the first player to transfer away from UNC, and go back to the mid-major level, where his game is best suited for. Even during the disastrous 2018-19 season, mid-major transfers, Christian Keeling and Justin Peirce eventually looked the part against ACC competition, but that was never the case for Tyson.
James Brown: First-year big man James Brown didn’t play much, but that was expected as the focus for him was to get his body ready for the future. Yet, whenever Brown got minutes, his energy was contagious, and you could see his talent on display. More importantly, Brown never complained about his role and was always active on the sidelines cheering on his teammates, and has the feel of a great culture guy, every program needs in this day and age of player movement.
Prediction: Brown is going to be aware that Carolina is going to recruit a big man to add to the roster, but after a year in the system, Brown should be ready to contribute more in 2025-26. Expect Brown to return for his sophomore season, with more minutes to be available with the potential departure of Jalen Washington.
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